Is. 29:1 Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the city where David dwelt! add ye year to year; let them kill sacrifices.
Ariel is a symbolic name for Jerusalem and comes from a root word that means “lion of God,” which of course makes me think of lion of Judah. To ensure that there is no misunderstanding as to who is being addressed, Isaiah identifies Ariel as the city where David lived. In Ezekiel 43:15 the same basic word is used in reference to the altar of the millennial temple. This would tie in with the last half of this verse since it is talking about the continual sacrifices that take place in the city year after year. The people continue in their routines of sacrifice and delude themselves into thinking that all is well between them and God.
Is. 29:2 Yet I will distress Ariel, and there shall be heaviness and sorrow: and it shall be unto me as Ariel.
Isaiah is saying that God is going to bring trouble (distress, oppression) to Jerusalem and the people will mourn with sorrow. God is going to treat Jerusalem as an altar, a place were blood is spilled.
Is. 29:3 And I will camp against thee round about, and will lay siege against thee with a mount, and I will raise forts against thee.
Is. 29:4 And thou shalt be brought down, and shalt speak out of the ground, and thy speech shall be low out of the dust, and thy voice shall be, as of one that hath a familiar spirit, out of the ground, and thy speech shall whisper out of the dust.
God is speaking through Isaiah. “I” am going to be the source for your coming distress. Obviously, God is going to use human instruments to accomplish His purpose, but they wouldn’t be allowed to touch Jerusalem/Judah without His permission. Verse 4 seems to reference the voices of those who will be killed calling out from the other side of death through the trickery of sorcerers and wizards (from the word for “familiar spirits,” necromancers); those they had begun to consult for guidance and direction instead of God.
Is. 29:5 Moreover the multitude of thy strangers shall be like small dust, and the multitude of the terrible ones shall be as chaff that passeth away: yea, it shall be at an instant suddenly.
The word strangers references foreigners and the poetic repetition of the thought in the second phrase connects these strangers with “terrible ones,” which is a reference to tyrannical oppressors, men who cause fear, enemies. Today we would call them terrorists. There will be so many in the invading army that Isaiah compares them to dust and chaff. He also indicates that the destruction they would cause would be quick and sudden.
Is. 29:6 Thou shalt be visited of the LORD of hosts with thunder, and with earthquake, and great noise, with storm and tempest, and the flame of devouring fire.
The time being referenced in the prophecy seems to jump to the future at this point—which prophecy often does. The prime example is presented when Jesus reads from the Isaiah scroll in the temple and stops in the middle of Isaiah 61:2 (Luke 4). We know that the Babylonians captured Judah, and they left great destruction in their wake. That judgment was according to God’s will.
The next few verses speak of God intervening on behalf of Jerusalem with thunder, an earthquake, great noise, and a devouring fire. These judgments are very similar to the impact of the 7th seal, the 7th trumpet and the 7th vial judgments in Revelation.
Revelation 8:1&5 And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour….And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.
Revelation 11:15&19 And the seventh angel sounded….And the temple of God was opened in heaven, and there was seen in his temple the ark of his testament: and there were lightnings, and voices, and thunderings, and an earthquake, and great hail.
Revelation 16:17-18 And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air; and there came a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done. And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great.
Is. 29:7 And the multitude of all the nations that fight against Ariel, even all that fight against her and her munition, and that distress her, shall be as a dream of a night vision.
Is. 29:8 It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold, he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint, and his soul hath appetite: so shall the multitude of all the nations be, that fight against mount Zion.
The first phrase of verse 7 references “the multitude of all the nations,” not just Babylon; this scenario seems to be making reference to the battle of Armageddon in particular (or it could be the attack of Gog’s coalition described in Ezekiel 38). The enemies of Israel that will gather around Jerusalem will not be successful. Isaiah paints a picture comparing the enemies of Jerusalem to hungry men who dream of eating, but wake up still hungry--to thirsty men who dream of having their thirst satisfied, but wake up still thirsty. They will surround Jerusalem in expectation of victory, but will be defeated by the consuming fire of the Lord. It seems significant to me that the reference is no longer to Ariel at the end of verse 8; it is to “mount Zion,” known as the “city of God.”
Psalm 87:2 The LORD loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God. Selah.
Is. 29:9 Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry: they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink.
Is. 29:10 For the LORD hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes: the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered.
“stay” = question, hesitate, to be reluctant; from root that means to question what, why, how, when
“wonder” = consternation, terror combined with amazement
“cry” = look about in dismay, stare
The prophet references the prophets (those who speak from inspiration), the rulers (denoting the spiritual leaders, the priests), and the seers (those who prophesy as a result of visions). These three groups would represent the spiritual leadership of the people. Isaiah seems to be describing a time when the people are looking at their spiritual leaders wondering in fear and amazement at what is causing them to act the way they are. They are not providing proper leadership to the people, and they are not behaving according to their privileged position. Why? Because the Lord has given them a spirit of sleep and blindness; He has basically given them over to their pride and fleshly desires. God is no longer providing them with spiritual inspiration, wisdom, or visions.
That is a very sobering thought. Scripture has many examples of people who pass the point so to speak of ever being able to turn to God in faith and repentance or to turn back to God in repentance. My thoughts go to Pharaoh (Exodus), Korah (Numbers 16), Saul (1Samuel 28), Judas (Matthew 27), Ananias & Sapphira (Acts 5), etc. There is a point in life when God gives you over to your sin or determines that judgment requires death, and we have no way of knowing when that point is.
David Guzik made an insightful application to the church today: “This is not seen as a ‘blessing from the Spirit of the Lord.’ This is a curse, both self induced and sent from the Lord. This speaks powerfully to those today who promote the idea of God ‘blessing’ His people with being ‘drunk in the Spirit.’”
Is. 29:11 And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed:
Is. 29:12 And the book is delivered to him that is not learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I am not learned.
As a result of their spiritual blindness and their lack of spiritual discernment, the spiritual leaders make pitiful excuses for their ineptitude in communicating God’s message to the people.
Why is it that human nature is to look for excuses and throw blame elsewhere? Pride and the lust of the flesh are so strong. I am making an effort to assess my wrong actions and inactions and call them what they are—sin. It’s ugly and it hurts, but it is also freeing and motivating when I present myself to God in humility and repentance. I am so amazed at His abundant mercy and forgiveness!
Is. 29:13 Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men:
Again, Isaiah emphasizes that this message is from the Lord. You can’t fool God; He knows our thoughts, what is in our hearts.
Psalm 94:11&21 The LORD knoweth the thoughts of man….Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.
Even though the people of Judah/Jerusalem continued to go through their religious routines before God, it was only lip service; there was no true worship of God from their heart. Their religious leaders had so corrupted God’s law, that they were actually following the law according to man and not the law according to God. They feared/reverenced God according to the example and teaching of their “spiritual leaders,” and had no foundation in the awe and wonder of who God is and His love and provision for them.
I think there is a great comparison to be made in the “church” of today, at least in America. Many go to church out of duty and because it makes them feel like they are doing the right thing. They go through the routine of the service without getting personally involved in true praise and worship of God or making personal application of the teaching of the word of God. In fact, our “church” leaders are becoming more and more like the religious leaders of Judah in Isaiah’s day. They teach their version of the word according to their own purposes instead of teaching the truth of God’s word. They claim that human error in the translation of the scripture through the years has corrupted God’s original meaning, so they are free to interpret according to God’s love and mercy while ignoring the hard truths and the fact that He is a righteous God that will judge sin. They preach so as to please the masses.
Is. 29:14 Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work among this people, even a marvellous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.
“marvelous work” & “wonder” = great, difficult, wonderful, hard, miracles
In my mind this verse carries the same thought as 28:21. God is going to act in a way toward His people that is not normal or indicative of their position as His chosen people. Just as judgment is His strange work, so not providing spiritual wisdom and understanding to the spiritual leaders is a hard/difficult thing. God’s desire is to fellowship with His people and to provide them with every good thing, but He is now going to withdraw His hand of blessing for a time. This is in direct contrast to God’s blessing that covers the obedient man of faith as declared by the Psalmist.
Psalm 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
Is. 29:15 Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the LORD, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us? and who knoweth us?
This verse reiterates the truth that we can hide nothing from God (as referenced in verse 13 above). Still, people seem to think they can hide their works and thoughts from God just as they can deceive other people.
David expressed so beautifully the truth that we cannot hide from God.
Psalms 139:7–12 Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
Is. 29:16 Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?
The people’s perspective of God and their relationship to Him had completely changed from that of obedience and worship to one of pride in themselves. God is definitely the Potter, the Creator. Paul mirrored the thoughts of Isaiah in his letter to the Romans.
Romans 9:20–21 Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?
The last half of this verse reminds me of the teachings of today. Evolution teaches that there is no Creator; things just exploded into existence out of nothing. Scientists claim to have understanding superior to that which God has revealed to us in His word or as revealed in the miraculous design of the world around us. What they teach doesn’t change the truth that God is the Creator and acts according to knowledge and understanding far above our abilities to comprehend.
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
Isaiah 55:8-9 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Is. 29:17 Is it not yet a very little while, and Lebanon shall be turned into a fruitful field, and the fruitful field shall be esteemed as a forest?
Is. 29:18 And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness.
Is. 29:19 The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.
Lebanon was known for its cedar trees and was designated by God as part of the land given to Israel, but it was never conquered.
Deuteronomy 11:24 Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be.
The change in reference from Ariel to mount Zion to Lebanon in the context of this message from God through Isaiah seems to be for specific reasons. The use of Lebanon seems to be referencing the time when Israel will occupy all the land that was promised to Israel by God.
As usual God’s perspective on time is quite different from ours. He speaks of this time as coming in a “very little while.” When your perspective is that of equating 1000 years to a day, that makes more sense.
Psalm 90:4 For a thousand years in thy sight are but as yesterday when it is past, and as a watch in the night.
Isaiah is speaking of a time when the land will be fruitful and abundant with good things. I think the reference to the deaf hearing and the blind seeing has a double application, both physical and spiritual. In context, we have been talking about spiritual deafness and blindness. This will be a time of hearing God’s word with understanding. It will be a time of spiritual insight and perception in response to the revelation of God. The word meek references those who are humble and poor but who love God. This will be a time of great joy in the Lord for these people. It’s hard to experience great joy when all around you seems evil and you don’t understand why God is acting in patience and mercy instead of judgment—when the evil seem to prosper while those who are following God in faith suffer.
I think we can agree that this time is yet future.
Is. 29:20 For the terrible one is brought to nought, and the scorner is consumed, and all that watch for iniquity are cut off:
Is. 29:21 That make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought.
The Lord’s destruction of Israel’s enemies will be complete. There will be none left who are looking to do evil. No longer will a person have to fear unfair judgment because of false accusers and deceitful methods. The Righteous Judge will be on the throne and justice will prevail.
O that it were today! It seems that in America at least, the court system is set up so that the person with the cleverest lawyer and/or the means to pay for the testimony he needs is the one who prevails. The lawyers are concerned about winning the case; they are not concerned with justice. The judges are so powerful that they can get away with interpreting the law as they see it rather than in the context of the intent of its guidelines when it was written. The courts of our land are far from operating under the biblical guidelines from which they were first framed.
Is. 29:22 Therefore thus saith the LORD, who redeemed Abraham, concerning the house of Jacob, Jacob shall not now be ashamed, neither shall his face now wax pale.
Is. 29:23 But when he seeth his children, the work of mine hands, in the midst of him, they shall sanctify my name, and sanctify the Holy One of Jacob, and shall fear the God of Israel.
Is. 29:24 They also that erred in spirit shall come to understanding, and they that murmured shall learn doctrine.
Again, emphasis is given that though Isaiah is speaking, he is speaking the words of the Lord. The Lord delivered Abraham from among the peoples on planet earth and separated out the descendants of his grandson, Jacob/Israel, for a special relationship and a special work to teach the people of planet earth about God.
One of the first things that struck me was that Jacob, though dead, is in a position to experience shame due to the actions of his descendants.
Luke 20:37-38 Now that the dead are raised, even Moses shewed at the bush, when he calleth the Lord the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. For he is not a God of the dead, but of the living: for all live unto him.
Though Jacob has seen much to shame him and cause him great heartache, there is coming a time when he will experience the joy of seeing his descendants respect the name of God as holy and live their lives in obedience to and respect for the God of Israel. Although they once were spiritually blind, they will once again see and understand with spiritual eyes. No longer will they rebel at the teaching of God’s truth; they will put forth the effort to learn and apply what they learn to their lives.
“the work of mine hands” – I think this is more than just a reference to God as the Creator. The fact that Israel will return to a place of blessing and obedience to their God will not come about because of the efforts of the people themselves. It will be a result of God’s diligence in chastening and judgment as well as nurturing and encouragement as needed until they are brought to the position of desiring and welcoming the Lord as their God. It will be the result of a consistent application of tough love. If only we as parents were wise enough to do the same. Too many parents today are more concerned about being their child’s friend than being their parent; they are more concerned about appearances before others than they are about what is best for a child; they make decisions that are inconsistent and send confusing messages to the child.
I think “the Holy One of Jacob” is a reference to Jesus, the Messiah that was promised to come from Abraham through Jacob through David.
Is. 30:1 Woe to the rebellious children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me; and that cover with a covering, but not of my spirit, that they may add sin to sin:
Is. 30:2 That walk to go down into Egypt, and have not asked at my mouth; to strengthen themselves in the strength of Pharaoh, and to trust in the shadow of Egypt!
“cover/covering” = a pouring over, i.e. fusion of metal (especially a cast image); by implication, a libation, i.e. league; concretely a coverlet (as if poured out):—covering, molten (image), vail.
“rebellious children” – God’s people were acting like rebellious children instead of like mature adults who should know better. They were taking counsel/advice, but not from the Lord. Rebellious children are much more likely to heed the advice of their peers than the counsel of their parents. In looking at the Hebrew for cover, the word league stands out since the next verse speaks of going down to Egypt to seek help. The Lord was ready and willing to be their cover, as He had proven so many times throughout their history; but still they chose to go for help elsewhere. Like rebellious children they didn’t want to submit to God’s authority in obedience.
“add sin to sin” – I think Isaiah is referencing rebellion plus—idolatry, disobedience, pride, etc.
“shadow” = shade, whether literal or figurative:—defense, protection
Psalm 121:5-6 The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
Is. 30:3 Therefore shall the strength of Pharaoh be your shame, and the trust in the shadow of Egypt your confusion.
Isaiah is saying that in retrospect the people of Judah will be ashamed at the faith that they put in Egypt as their defense—especially in the light of the fact that the Lord wanted to be that defense. Looking at the Hebrew, I think the word disgrace would have been a better choice for the word confusion.
Is. 30:4 For his princes were at Zoan, and his ambassadors came to Hanes.
Is. 30:5 They were all ashamed of a people that could not profit them, nor be an help nor profit, but a shame, and also a reproach.
At first reading, I thought that the ambassadors had to return home in shame for failing in their mission, but as I got to the next few verses, it seems more likely that Egypt made an agreement with them and then didn’t come through at zero hour. (cf verse 7) This would result in great shame and disgrace for Judah for trusting in man rather than God and also for Egypt since they were unable to fulfill their agreement.
Is. 30:6 The burden of the beasts of the south: into the land of trouble and anguish, from whence come the young and old lion, the viper and fiery flying serpent, they will carry their riches upon the shoulders of young asses, and their treasures upon the bunches of camels, to a people that shall not profit them.
This seems to be a picture of the ambassadors of Judah traveling to Egypt with great gifts for the Pharaoh being carried by many camels. To get to Egypt they had to cross the northern area of the Sinai Peninsula. This area is described as a place of trouble (distress, affliction) and anguish (distress, oppression). It is a place of lions (dangerous animals), vipers (poisonous snakes), and fiery flying serpents (poisonous, burning creatures of some kind). They were going to make a very dangerous journey at great expense to beg for help from Egypt. In the end, their efforts would prove useless.
Is. 30:7 For the Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose: therefore have I cried concerning this, Their strength is to sit still.
I like the translation from the Complete Jewish Bible for this verse: For Egypt’s help is worthless, pointless; so I call her “Arrogance Doing Nothing.”
It sounds like Egypt is quick to commit to helping Judah and accept the gifts, but when the time comes to act on their promise, they “sit still.” They talk a good talk, but the walk doesn’t match the talk.
This could be a sermon in itself.
Is. 30:8 Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever:
The Lord tells Isaiah to go and write this message in a book for the generations to come. Prophecy is a unique ability of the Lord that declares the truth of who He is.
Isaiah 48:5-7 I have even from the beginning declared it to thee; before it came to pass I shewed it thee: lest thou shouldest say, Mine idol hath done them, and my graven image, and my molten image, hath commanded them. Thou hast heard, see all this; and will not ye declare it? I have shewed thee new things from this time, even hidden things, and thou didst not know them. They are created now, and not from the beginning; even before the day when thou heardest them not; lest thou shouldest say, Behold, I knew them.
John 13:19 Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I am he.
John 14:29 And now I have told you before it come to pass, that, when it is come to pass, ye might believe.
Is. 30:9 That this is a rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law of the LORD:
Is. 30:10 Which say to the seers, See not; and to the prophets, Prophesy not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits:
Is. 30:11 Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.
Isaiah’s written message will also serve as another affirmation of God’s word in light of future events.
The people of Judah are described as rebellious, lying, and unteachable. They have made it clear (whether by words or actions) to those in position to convey God’s word to the people (the seers and prophets) that they want messages that match their own thinking and desires. They would rather hear lies, flattery and deceit. They don’t want to hear about the path that God would have them walk in obedience. The phrase “will not hear” stands out to me. These people have a choice; and they are choosing to reject God.
Boy is that a commentary on the church of today. The amazing thing is that most of the messengers of God acquiesce to the people in disobedience to God. They are more concerned about the now than they are about the future. How many churches today use that philosophy to grow their ministries. Let’s provide what the people want without consideration as to whether it’s what God wants. Let’s teach what the people want to hear rather than the truth of God’s word. Let’s not make the people uncomfortable in any way about the way they live their life by teaching about God the righteous judge and calling sin by name.
As I was reading through this section again, I was reminded of the following verses in Timothy that address end times.
2Timothy 4:3-4 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
Is. 30:12 Wherefore thus saith the Holy One of Israel, Because ye despise this word, and trust in oppression and perverseness, and stay thereon:
Is. 30:13 Therefore this iniquity shall be to you as a breach ready to fall, swelling out in a high wall, whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant.
“oppression” = injury, fraud, (subjectively) distress, (concretely) unjust gain:—cruelly, extortion.
“fraud” = Deception deliberately practiced with a view to gaining an unlawful or unfair advantage; artifice by which the right or interest of another is injured; injurious stratagem; deceit; trick.
“perverse” – to turn aside; Webster = Turned aside; hence, specifically, turned away from the right; willfully erring; wicked; perverted.
Again, a reminder that Isiaah is proclaiming the word of God, “the Holy One of Israel.” He is basically saying: “Since you refuse to listen to me and have chosen to trust in fraud and those who have chosen to turn away from the right (God), your rebellion will result in depending upon a high wall of defense that is full of cracks and bulges and will end up breaking when you least expect it.”
Is. 30:14 And he shall break it as the breaking of the potters’ vessel that is broken in pieces; he shall not spare: so that there shall not be found in the bursting of it a sherd to take fire from the hearth, or to take water withal out of the pit.
“he” = God
It is God who is accomplishing His purposes. God is the Source of the outcome as He works through the wicked intents and purposes of the weak vessels of His creation—men and women. Judah’s “wall of defense” will be shattered like a clay pot; in fact, the destruction will be so complete that you won’t be able to identify a single usable piece of the original vase.
Is. 30:15 For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.
In verse 11 the people made it clear that they don’t want to hear from “the Holy One of Israel.” That doesn’t deter Isaiah; he keeps preaching God’s word. He doesn’t shy away from stating the truth whether the people want to hear it or not. They may choose to reject God, but He will not reject them forever. He has made promises to Abraham and to His Son Jesus.
Galatians 3:16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.
That verse really jumped out to me in my study of Galatians. I know that based on His attributes, the commitment would have been the same had the promises been made to Abraham only. But it really impacted me to realize that He is committed to fulfilling all His promises to His Son. That just hit the bulls eye in helping this mother’s heart understand. What were the promises?
Genesis 22:17-18 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
Galatians 3:14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Returning speaks of turning back to God in repentance. Rest speaks of “being set on”; in other words, putting their trust and faith in God. Quietness speaks of repose, abiding restfully without anxiety or alarms—another statement about faith in God. Confidence is the same as trust and faith. In no uncertain terms, the Lord is saying that repentance and faith (in Him) is where your strength (power, champion) is. And the sad phrase—“and ye would not.” Again, the choice was theirs. God is not going to force Himself upon anyone. He does everything possible to get mankind to turn to Him in repentance and faith, but we have to choose to make Him Lord of our life.
Is. 30:16 But ye said, No; for we will flee upon horses; therefore shall ye flee: and, We will ride upon the swift; therefore shall they that pursue you be swift.
Is. 30:17 One thousand shall flee at the rebuke of one; at the rebuke of five shall ye flee: till ye be left as a beacon upon the top of a mountain, and as an ensign on an hill.
It’s like God is saying—As you have chosen, so shall you be judged. You’ve decided to put your trust in being able to chase the enemy on horses, but you will end up being the ones chased. You think you will be able to make quick work of your enemy; but they will be the ones that make quick work of you. In fact, your terror will be so great that it will only take one of the enemy to cause 1,000 of you to flee in fear. He seems to be saying that it would only take five of the enemy to cause the whole population of the country to run away in fear. This is a complete reversal of the blessing that would have been theirs had they only followed the Lord in obedience.
Leviticus 26:6-8 And I will give peace in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid: and I will rid evil beasts out of the land, neither shall the sword go through your land. And ye shall chase your enemies, and they shall fall before you by the sword. And five of you shall chase an hundred, and an hundred of you shall put ten thousand to flight: and your enemies shall fall before you by the sword.
Isaiah compares the remnant that will be left (God always leaves a remnant.) to a flag on a flagpole on the top of a mountain or hill that stands out conspicuously.
Is. 30:18 And therefore will the Lord wait, that he may be gracious unto you, and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you: for the LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him.
Now the message of hope. God isn’t going anywhere. He is patiently waiting for His people to repent and turn back to Him in faith. He wants to be gracious; the Hebrew implies showing great kindness to someone who is inferior to you. God’s graciousness sets Him apart; it is one of the multitude of reasons He is worthy of our praise and worship. His desire is to show mercy (love, compassion) to His people. I loved David Guzik’s comment on mercy.
“When God has mercy on us, it exalts Him. Mercy does nothing to exalt the person who receives it; mercy recognizes the guilt of the one who deserves the punishment. But mercy exalts the goodness of the person who gives it. It shows them to be loving, generous, and full of mercy.”
The truth is that YHWH is a God of judgment and justice. He will judge the wicked. If you are following Him in faith and obedience, there is no need to fear that judgment.
Happy are those that choose to wait for God to act in His own time and in His own wisdom.
Psalm 37:9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth.
Proverbs 20:22 Say not thou, I will recompense evil; but wait on the LORD, and he shall save thee.
Isaiah 49:23 … for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me.
Is. 30:19 For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee.
Isaiah is saying that there is coming a time when the people living on Mount Zion in Jerusalem will no longer have cause to weep. Why? Because God will respond to them in grace and mercy at the sound of their cries of anguish and terror. The use of the word answer makes me think these cries are actually prayers to the Lord. Whether just hearing the cries of His people or actually responding to their cries of prayer, the Lord will hear and respond when His people cry out. It is a statement of fact, not an if statement.
“in Zion at Jerusalem” – This emphasizes the location as on earth.
I could not help but think of the Lord’s words in Matthew 23 as I read throught this section again.
Matthew 23:39 For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Is. 30:20 And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers:
Is. 30:21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
The Lord is a faithful parent. He will send times of adversity (trouble, anguish, distress) and affliction (distress, oppression) as necessary to provide the necessary food and drink for spiritual growth. He will also give them faithful teachers who follow God in obedience and provide spiritual guidance as directed by Him.
Is. 30:22 Ye shall defile also the covering of thy graven images of silver, and the ornament of thy molten images of gold: thou shalt cast them away as a menstruous cloth; thou shalt say unto it, Get thee hence.
In that day of God’s grace and mercy, the people of God will get rid of their gold and silver idols. They will consider them as filthy and worthless as a woman’s menstrual cloth. It seems they won’t even try to remove the expensive silver or gold that covers those idols because it will be considered unclean. They will not want any association with the things that represent their former rebellion and disobedience. That is the attitude all believers should have who claim God as Lord.
Is. 30:23 Then shall he give the rain of thy seed, that thou shalt sow the ground withal; and bread of the increase of the earth, and it shall be fat and plenteous: in that day shall thy cattle feed in large pastures.
Is. 30:24 The oxen likewise and the young asses that ear the ground shall eat clean provender, which hath been winnowed with the shovel and with the fan.
Again, I like the translation from the Complete Jewish Bible: Then he will give you rain for the seed you use to sow your land; and the food that comes from the ground will be rich and abundant. When that day comes, your cattle will graze in spacious pastures. The oxen and donkeys that work the land will eat a tasty mixture, winnowed free of chaff, spread by pitchfork and shovel.
Not only will the people experience great blessing, the animals will as well.
“in that day” – A statement of affirmation that this prophecy will come to pass as God has foretold—and it is obviously yet future.
Is. 30:25 And there shall be upon every high mountain, and upon every high hill, rivers and streams of waters in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall.
Is. 30:26 Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that the LORD bindeth up the breach of his people, and healeth the stroke of their wound.
Isaiah reminds the people that before the day of God’s grace and mercy is ushered in, there will be a great slaughter “when the towers fall.” The Hebrew for the word towers includes castles and things that are magnificent and proudly spoken of. This paints a picture to me of God destroying His enemies (and in turn the enemies of His people) in this world, many of whom hold positions of great power and are greatly envied according to earthly standards. When mention is made of the rivers and streams of water flowing in abundance from the mountains and hills, my first thought was that it was needed for cleansing of the blood shed at the slaughter.
Light speaks of:
Understanding - Psalm 119:130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.
Life - John 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
Goodness and joy - Esther 8:16 The Jews had light, and gladness, and joy, and honour.
The presence of God - Daniel 2:20&22 Daniel answered and said, Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are his… and the light dwelleth with him.
Revealing truth - John 3:20-21 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.
In the coming day of God’s blessing the light of the moon will be as light as the sun is now; the light of the sun will be seven times brighter. (My eyes are quite sensitive to sunlight, so that is very hard for me to imagine. I’m not worried though; I know my glorified body will have no problem with that light.) This is obviously a reference to the millennial kingdom described by Isaiah in the last few chapters:
Isaiah 60:19-20 The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.
It would seem that no matter how greatly multiplied the light of the moon and sun, the glory of the Lord will outshine them both.
It will be a time when God heals His people from the many hurts they have experienced as a result of sin—their own and others.
Is. 30:27 Behold, the name of the LORD cometh from far, burning with his anger, and the burden thereof is heavy: his lips are full of indignation, and his tongue as a devouring fire:
Is. 30:28 And his breath, as an overflowing stream, shall reach to the midst of the neck, to sift the nations with the sieve of vanity: and there shall be a bridle in the jaws of the people, causing them to err.
It’s interesting that Isaiah identifies the name of the LORD as the One coming against His enemies. I guess that is a way of saying the LORD in all His fullness of what that name represents—a name that inspires fear to the nations.
Psalm 102:15 So the heathen shall fear the name of the LORD, and all the kings of the earth thy glory.
Though the near fulfillment of this prophecy seems to point to Assyria as the enemy (cf verse 31), I believe it is a type of the coming of Jesus to set up His earthly kingdom. These verses paint a vivid picture of when God comes in wrath to destroy the armies of the Antichrist. Compare them with the following verses in Revelation:
Revelation 19:11-12 & 15 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself….And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
In verse 11 is reference to His name and the fact that He will come from afar (heaven); verse 12 references eyes burning with fire/anger; verse 15 speaks of His tongue as a weapon of destruction.
In verse 28 Isaiah speaks of God’s breath as a destructive force; Job also gives that description.
Job 4:9 By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.
“sieve of vanity” – I took this as a statement of sifting and separating out the wicked from the nations.
It’s always hard to reconcile in my mind when I read of God hardening someone’s heart or “causing them to err.” It is basically a statement saying that God has given them over to their sin; they have reached the point of no return that I discussed in chapter 29, verse 10.
Is. 30:29 Ye shall have a song, as in the night when a holy solemnity is kept; and gladness of heart, as when one goeth with a pipe to come into the mountain of the LORD, to the mighty One of Israel.
Isaiah is describing the joy of God’s people when God defeats their enemy. They will sing with joy and gladness in the same way they do at the holy festivals or feast days of the Lord. The Hebrew for solemnity also includes the idea of a procession; so I get a picture of the light airy sounds of a flute leading the people in a joyful procession up the temple mount.
Psalm 48:1-2 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised in the city of our God, in the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.
Isaiah 2:3 And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
“to the mighty One of Israel” – I think this is a reference to the time when the LORD Jesus will actually be ruling from the temple during the millennium.
Zechariah 6:12-13 And speak unto him, saying, Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying, Behold the man whose name is The BRANCH; and he shall grow up out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the LORD: Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.
Is. 30:30 And the LORD shall cause his glorious voice to be heard, and shall shew the lighting down of his arm, with the indignation of his anger, and with the flame of a devouring fire, with scattering, and tempest, and hailstones.
Isaiah now goes back to describing the effect the coming of the Lord will have on His enemies. He shall cause His glorious (grandeur, excellence) voice to be heard. That seems like an understatement when you read the Psalmist’s description of the voice of the Lord.
Psalm 29:3-8 The voice of the LORD is upon the waters: the God of glory thundereth: the LORD is upon many waters. The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty. The voice of the LORD breaketh the cedars; yea, the LORD breaketh the cedars of Lebanon. The voice of the LORD divideth the flames of fire. The voice of the LORD shaketh the wilderness; the LORD shaketh the wilderness of Kadesh.
Throughout scripture God’s arm is a symbol of His power, His protection for His people and judgment for His enemies.
Exodus 6:6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:
Deuteronomy 7:19 The great temptations which thine eyes saw, and the signs, and the wonders, and the mighty hand, and the stretched out arm, whereby the LORD thy God brought thee out: so shall the LORD thy God do unto all the people of whom thou art afraid.
Jeremiah 27:5 I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm, and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me.
Jeremiah 32:17 Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:
Lightning, fire and hailstones are often associated with the wrath and judgment of God.
2Samuel 22:8-9 Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations of heaven moved and shook, because he was wroth. There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured: coals were kindled by it.
2Samuel 22:14-15 The LORD thundered from heaven, and the most High uttered his voice. And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and discomfited them.
Numbers 11:1 And when the people complained, it displeased the LORD: and the LORD heard it; and his anger was kindled; and the fire of the LORD burnt among them, and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp.
Deuteronomy 32:22 For a fire is kindled in mine anger
Nahum 1:6 Who can stand before his indignation? and who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? his fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.
Exodus 9:23 And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the LORD sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the LORD rained hail upon the land of Egypt.
Ezekiel 13:13 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will even rend it with a stormy wind in my fury; and there shall be an overflowing shower in mine anger, and great hailstones in my fury to consume it.
Haggai 2:17 I smote you with blasting and with mildew and with hail in all the labours of your hands; yet ye turned not to me, saith the LORD.
Is. 30:31 For through the voice of the LORD shall the Assyrian be beaten down, which smote with a rod.
Is. 30:32 And in every place where the grounded staff shall pass, which the LORD shall lay upon him, it shall be with tabrets and harps: and in battles of shaking will he fight with it.
It is the power of God’s voice that will destroy the destroyer, the Assyrian. I can’t help but think again of the verses in Revelation where the sword from God’s mouth is the destroying instrument.
Revelation 19:15 & 21 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations….And the remnant were slain with the sword of him that sat upon the horse, which sword proceeded out of his mouth….
“the Assyrian” – It is interesting that the word Assyrian is singular, and the reference to the Assyrian in verse 32 is also singular, “shall lay upon him.” Chuck Missler teaches of the Assyrian as a type of Antichrist, and I think these verses give support to that idea.
The important thing to note is that the enemy of God is destroyed and God’s people rejoice at his destruction.
“shaking” = brandishing, waving
This seems to be describing the slashing strokes of God’s sword as He destroys the enemy.
Is. 30:33 For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large: the pile thereof is fire and much wood; the breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it.
“Tophet” = A location in the Hinnom Valley in Jerusalem where children were burned in sacrifice to Molech. (Eerdman’s Dictionary)
“is ordained of old” – This speaks of something that was established by the decree of God in times past. This is making a connection with the lake of fire in my mind.
Matthew 25:41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels….
Revelation 20:10, 14-15 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever….And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
“for the king it is prepared” – The king appears to be a reference back to “the Assyrian.” This again supports the thought of the Assyrian being a type of the Antichrist who is one of the first two people thrown into the lake of fire.
“he hath made it deep and large” – I believe it is clear that this is a reference to the Lord as the one who made Tophet, the lake of fire. The fact that He made it “deep and large” is a sad statement of the need to accommodate multitudes of fallen angels and the people that chose to follow them in rebellion against God.
The fire in Tophet will be kindled by the “breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone.” Again, this connects with the description of the lake of fire in Revelation 20:10 above.
It’s clear to me that beginning with verse 23, the prophet is speaking of the time when Jesus returns as King of kings to conquer His enemies and establish His glorious kingdom.